Deuteronomy 20
1 When you go to war with your enemies and you see horses and chariots, and a larger army than yours, don't be afraid of them, because the Lord your God who led you out of Egypt is with you.
Mtakapokwenda vitani kupigana na adui zenu na mkaona farasi na magari ya vita na jeshi kubwa kuliko lenu, msiwaogope, kwa sababu Bwana Mungu wenu aliyewatoa kutoka Misri, atakuwa pamoja nanyi.
2 Before you go into battle, the priest shall come and speak to the army.
Wakati mtakapokaribia kwenda vitani, kuhani atakuja mbele na kuhutubia jeshi.
3 He is to tell them, “Listen, men of Israel! Today you are going to fight your enemies. Don't be nervous or afraid; don't be panicked or terrified by them.
Atasema: “Sikia, ee Israeli, leo unakwenda vitani kupigana na adui zako. Usife moyo wala usiogope, usitishwe wala usitiwe hofu mbele yao.
4 For the Lord your God is going with you to fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you the victory.”
Kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu ndiye huenda pamoja nanyi kuwapigania dhidi ya adui zenu na kuwapatia ushindi.”
5 The officers shall also speak to the army and tell them, “Is there any man here who has built a new house and hasn't dedicated it to the Lord? He can go home, otherwise he might die in battle and another man will dedicate it.
Maafisa wataliambia jeshi: “Je, kuna yeyote aliyejenga nyumba mpya ambayo haijawekwa wakfu? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, ama sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akaiweka wakfu.
6 Is there any man here who has planted a vineyard and hasn't yet enjoyed its fruit? He can go home, otherwise he might die in battle and another man will enjoy its fruit.
Je, kuna yeyote aliyepanda shamba la mizabibu na hajaanza kulifurahia? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, au sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akalifurahia.
7 Is there any man here who is engaged to a woman and hasn't married her? He can go home, otherwise he might die in battle and another man will marry her.”
Je, kuna yeyote aliyeposa mwanamke na hajamwoa? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, ama sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akamwoa.”
8 The officers are also to tell the army, “Is there any man here who is afraid or nervous? He can go home, so he won't affect his fellow-soldiers and make them as frightened as himself.”
Kisha maafisa wataongeza haya, “Je, kuna mtu anayeogopa ama kufa moyo? Yeye na arudi nyumbani ili ndugu zake nao wasije wakafa moyo pia.”
9 After the officers have finished speaking to the army, they are put commanders in charge to lead it into battle.
Wakati maafisa watakapomaliza kuzungumza na jeshi, watawateua wakuu wa vikosi.
10 When you arrive at a town, ready to attack it, you must first make an offer of peace to the people living there.
Wakati mtakapokwenda kushambulia mji, wapeni watu wake masharti ya amani.
11 If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates to you, all the inhabitants will become your slave-laborers.
Wakikubali na kuwafungulia malango yao, watu wake wote watawatumikia kwa kufanya kazi ngumu na watawatumikia.
12 However, if they refuse to make peace with you and decide to fight you, then lay siege to the town.
Ikiwa watakataa kufanya mapatano ya amani na wakiwaingiza katika vita, basi mtauzunguka mji huo kwa vita.
13 Once the Lord your God has handed it over to you, kill every male with the sword.
Wakati Bwana Mungu wenu atakapouweka mji huo mkononi mwenu, waueni kwa upanga wanaume wote waliomo ndani yake.
14 But you can take as plunder the women, children, livestock, and everything else in the town. You can take and use all your enemies' possessions the Lord your God gives you.
Kwa upande wa wanawake, watoto, mifugo na kila kitu kingine chochote ndani ya huo mji, mnaweza kuvichukua kama nyara kwa ajili yenu. Nanyi mnaweza kuzitumia hizo nyara ambazo Bwana Mungu wenu amewapa kutoka kwa adui zenu.
15 This is the way you are to deal with all the towns that are a long way from you and don't belong to neighboring nations.
Hivi ndivyo mtakavyofanya kwa miji yote ambayo iko mbali nanyi, ambayo haimilikiwi na mataifa ya karibu.
16 However, when it comes to the towns of those nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you to occupy, don't leave anything alive that breathes.
Hata hivyo, katika miji ya mataifa ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa kama urithi, msiache kitu chochote hai kinachopumua.
17 Set them apart for complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has ordered you to do.
Waangamizeni kabisa Wahiti, Waamori, Wakanaani, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi, kama Bwana Mungu wenu alivyowaamuru.
18 This is to prevent them teaching you all the offensive things they do in worshiping their gods, and in so doing make you sin against the Lord your God.
La sivyo, watawafundisha kufuata mambo yote ya machukizo wanayofanya wakiabudu miungu yao, nanyi mtatenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana Mungu wenu.
19 Now when you lay siege to a town and it goes on for a long time as you fight to capture it, don't destroy the fruit trees there. You can eat their fruit. Don't cut them down. Are the trees in the orchard human beings that you should also attack?
Wakati mtakapouzunguka mji kwa vita kwa muda mrefu, mkipigana dhidi yake ili kuuteka, msiharibu miti yake kwa kuikata kwa shoka, kwa sababu mtaweza kula matunda yake. Hivyo msiikate. Je, miti hiyo ya mashambani ni watu, hata muizingire?
20 However, you may destroy the trees that you know are not fruit trees. You can use them to build siege equipment to attack the town that is fighting against you until it falls.
Hata hivyo, mnaweza kuikata miti ambayo sio miti ya matunda na kuitumia kujenga ngome, mpaka mji ulio katika vita na ninyi utakapoanguka.
